Chain-propeller



(No Model.)

G. HART.

OHAINPROPELLER.

No. 304,426. Patented sept. 2, 1884.

huren STATES GEORGE HART, OF STEUBENVILLE, OHIO.

CHAIN-PROPELLER.-

.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,426, datedSeptember 2, 1884.

' Application filed May 29, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HART, a citizen of the United States,residing at Steubenville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Ohio.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propellers; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which'it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of propelling-machines for any kindof steam-vessels on which the paddle-blades are attached to an endlessband, and to endless chains driven by rollers or sprocket-wheels, whichare usually situated fore and aft transversely across the axis of thevessel; and it consists, essentially, in an improved mode of attachingthe paddle-blades to the endless carrier.

It .also consists in driving the carrier by a peculiarly-constructedchain-wheel situated above and midway between the fore and aft rollers,which serve merely to extend and guide the chains that form thecarrier,and are made of a relatively small size, for a purposehereinafter mentioned. It is obvious from the above that the carrierdoes not return from the after to the fore roller parallel to itscourse, but ascends over the chain-wheel between the two. To make thepaddle-blades move in a direct course when they dip,proper guides forthem are fixed to the bottom of the vessel, the hull of which isdouble-keeled,with the wateropening of the propeller-compartmentsituated centrally and longitudinally between the two keels.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specication,Figure 1 representsv a side view of a vessel broken away to p show theinvention attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of avessel,with the chain carrier broken away at top and bottom to show theconstruction of the chain wheel and rollers. Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of one of the paddle-blades and the part that carries it. Fig. 4 isa side view of same, showing its attachment to the endless-chaincarrier.

peller-compartxnent at equal distances from its central vertical line,and D is the driving chain-wheel Xed on the crank-shaft d3, whichjournals in proper bearings in an upward extension of thepropeller-cornpartment on its central transverse plane. rIhe said wheelis situated considerably above the rollers G C', and is equally distantfrom each. Without the hull is very high the above-mentioned extensionof the propeller-compartment must rise to a considerable height abovethe deck to render the invention practicable. The crank Iof the shaft d3is connected with the engine in the usual manner. The rollers O O areprovided, respectively, with the circumferential anges cc and c c',which stand at right angles from the same at their points of union withtheir journals, and serve a- "purvmwwmw, m

pose hereinafter mentioned.

The chain-wheel D, xed upon the crankshaft, is composed of the circularside plates, d d, standing the same distance apart as the flanges oneach roller C C', and the transverse bars dd, connecting the saidplates. These bars are equally distant apart, and are situated withinthe circumference of the side plates at equal distances from the" shaftd3.

d2 d2 are notches in the outer edge of each bar d', near its ends andequally distant from its center, adapted to receive and carry the linksof the two endless chains E E, which form the carrier.

F F are the paddle-blades, each standing at right angles from thetransverse central line of the rectangularfralnef, the width of whichequals the distance between the outer edges of the chains E E. As eachpaddle-blade stands centrally from the upper surface of a frame f itdivides the latter into a forward part, f, and rear part, f2, theforward part being the one that points toward the bow when viewed fromabove. The rear part, f2, is secured at IOO each outer corner to one ofthe chains E, by metal loops or other proper means, while the forwardpart, f', is similarly secured near the front of the paddle-blade,leaving its outer end free. f3 is a transverse bar fixed across thesurface of the paddle, at the base of the same, or to the frame fadjacent to said base, and having the rollersffL journaled on its endsoutside the edges of the paddle-blade. These rollers are justsufficiently i'ar apart to pass easily between the side plates, d d, andthe flanges c c and c c', which plates and flanges act as guides todirect their movement and keep the chain carrier and attached bladestraight.

A short distance within the water-opening of the propeller-compartmentis fixed thehorizontal longitudinal guide-plate G, which is between andslightly below the rollers C C', curving up at each end to receive thechain carrier from one and deliver it to the other, and guiding itstraight between the two.

g y are proper guides for the rollers f" each one ol" which is fixedlongitudinally on one side of thewater-opening of thepropellercompartment, slightly below the same, and j ust suilicientlybelow the guide-plate G for the rollers j to successively bear and turnupon its upper surliice when the carrier lies against its guide Gr.

The following are some of the advantages of peculiar construction andmode of arranging the carrier, paddle-blades, rollers, and motorwheel:the driving-wheel being midway between the end rollers will make thecarrier bear equally on each, and being elevated above them will tend tolessen the sagging of thecarrier and render it more taut. The fore andaft rollers C C' being comparatively of small diameter, thepaddle-blades will change direction very quickly in turning them, and bebut a short time in position to drag. This effect is furthered by themanner of securing the framef to the carrier, as their free ends, inturning, will stand out from the carrier until they reach the middleline of the fore roller, when they will make a quick quarter-turndownward into position, which motion would rather tend to heighten thanto retard speed. 1f desirable, a third chain midway between theabovementioned two may be added to the carrier. The bars d/ d of thechainwheel D are just sufficiently far apart to tit between any twoframes ff. As the vessel is double-heeled, she might with advantage besteered with two rudders, each hung to its own stem part, the twotillers being turned by any proper parallel motion. l

Having thus fully described `Amy invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination ot the guide-rollers C C and roller D, provided withend anges, c cd, the endless carrier traveling over said rollers, andthe paddle-irame secured on said carrier and provided with rollers j,suitably arranged to pass close to the inner side of llanges c c d,substantially as set forth;

2. The combination of the guides g g, the carrier and guide rollers, theendless carrier, and the iframes f, provided with paddles F, and withrollers f", fitted to engage guides g, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

3. The combination of the boat having double keels B B, and apropeller-compartment I), arranged therebetween, the guides g g, thecarrying and guide rollers D C C, the endless carrier, and the frames f,provided with blades and with rollers j, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

4. rlhe combination of the guidefrollers CC', the roller D, havingradial plates adapted to engage the endless carrier, and suitablyarranged to permit one of the blade-frames to rest between each pair ofsame, and the endless carrier having the blade-frame secured on it,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE l-IAPJI.

Vitnesses:

VILLIAM Haar, JOHN A. Krrn eA nr.

